VOX Box: Reports of My Death...
Characters * Batman * Talia al Ghul Location * Unknown Location * September 26th 2016, 2237 EST VOX Archive * Talia al Ghul: water sloshing You can come out now, my love. I know you're there in the shadows, watching me bathe. I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out. * Batman: So it is true. Then I only have one question: why? Please tell me this is not some misguided yearning of the heart, Talia. * Talia al Ghul: scoff Please, Bruce... You were great but I've moved on. A benefit of a long lifespan, I know how to cut ties... and while I admit, I did yearn for you to reconsider longer than I should have... I am not so naive as to still be nursing a nearly twenty year old heartache. chuckle You're not yearning for me still, are you? * Batman: Talia... There's someone in my life now. * Talia al Ghul: chuckles Oh, Bruce... click, tongue click I know all about cat burglar. * Batman: She's reformed. * Talia al Ghul: ... and pregnant. * Batman: I'm seri- silence * Talia al Ghul: I take it you didn't know? * Batman: I've been... * Talia al Ghul: I know where you've been. I'm the one who put you there... So where were we? Ah, yes... You asked why... ice cubes stirring, wine cork pop, liquid pouring Hmm? * Batman: sigh Fine... Only half a glass though... and keep the glass where I can see it. * Talia al Ghul: Don't trust me? Fine... pouring Now you asked why. The truth was that Victor Fries had been recently working with us... and he contacted me, asking for a favor. * Batman: Fries? What does Victor have to do with this? * Talia al Ghul: sipping Mmm... the good doctor removed the heart of your beloved pussy-cat. giggle He must have implanted it in himself because he suddenly had a change of heart. * Batman: He asked you to help Selina? sniff, slow sip Interesting... * Talia al Ghul: Indeed. Love causes men to do peculiar things. Women, too, even... After I let Miss Kyle take a cat-bath in the Lazarus waters, she had the nerve to ask another favor of me. * Batman: Doing favors? That's unlike you... * Talia al Ghul: Now Bruce... I am not completely without a heart and neither is your kitty, thanks to me. So, yes, she told me you were in trouble. She begged me to help... and so I did. * Batman: Yes, you convinced Dick to have Thomas Elliot continue to pose as Bruce Wayne. I see the reasoning there. But why the coma? * Talia al Ghul: When my men found where Dr. Elliot had left you to die, you were already in a coma. I simply gave you a drug to prevent death... however, the drug also has side-effects. * Batman: I am told my spirit left my body, Talia... for three months! That's one hell of a side effect. What did you give me?! The truth for once, please. * Talia al Ghul: The truth! The truth is that you left me, Bruce! You walked out on me, our life, and our unborn child! Yes, I did move on, eventually, but that doesn't mean I still don't love you... on some level. So, when I saw you near-death and about to leave another of your children fatherless, I chose to save your life! Root of Bliss. That's what I gave you! * Batman: Root of Bliss... The drug I took at my League naming ceremony? No. That's impossible. It's a hallucinogen, sure... explains the dreams. But it didn't put me in a coma, Talia. * Talia al Ghul: The dose I gave you was stronger. It put you down for a while, but it also staved off death. Anyway, why so inter-? Did you see things? Bruce? What did you see? Tell me? * Batman: I saw our son, Talia... a grown man. A strong, handsome, and intelligent man. Then I saw him do something I never thought I'd live to see... No, it's nothing. Fever pitch dream. * Talia al Ghul: Yes? What did you see? Tell me, Bruce... Bruce? Where are you going? footsteps Bruce, get back here! What did you see? line firing, whirring Bruce! Trivia and Notes * Story continues from Oracle Files: Ra's al Ghul 1 and VOX Box: False Faces. * Story continues in VOX Box: Matches In a Powder Keg. * Bruce's whereabouts are finally revealed. Selina's fate is also revealed after Oracle Files: Selina Kyle 2 and her story continues in Oracle Files: Selina Kyle 3. Links and References * Reports of My Death... Category:VOX Box Category:Bruce Wayne/Appearances Category:Talia al Ghul/Appearances